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Electronic Armageddon, and No Electricity Either

Posted by kdawson on from the life-under-a-faraday-cage dept.

Smart grid technology is a hot issue on Capitol Hill, but some are raising questions about the idea. In recent days we've discussed the smart grid's potential exposure to worm attacks, consumers' unreadiness for the idea, and whether the whole concept may need a rethink. A Congressional hearing on Thursday surfaced another reason for caution: the smart grid's vulnerability to EMP. "Electromagnetic Pulse" refers to the damage caused in electrical circuits and systems when a nuclear explosive goes off nearby. The electric grid as it's currently constituted is vulnerable to EMP; the further down the road we go towards a smart grid, the more vulnerable it will become. "It makes a great equalizer for small nations looking to stand up to military Goliaths, argues Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (Rep.-Md.), a former research scientist and engineer who has worked in the past on projects for NASA and the military. All one needs to wreak some serious EMP damage, he charges, is a sea-worthy steamer, $100,000 to buy a scud-missile launcher, and a crude nuclear weapon. Then fling the device high into the air and detonate its warhead. Such a system might not paralyze the entire United States, he concedes. 'But you could shut down all of New England. And if you missed by 100 miles, it's as good as a bulls eye.'"

6 of 158 comments (clear)

  1. It's true, I saw a documentary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    In the documentary film Escape from LA, Snake Plisskin (who I thought was taller) shuts down the entire world with an EMP allowing Latin American countries to invade the US.

    1. Re:It's true, I saw a documentary by Artifakt · · Score: 3, Funny

      I heard he was dead.

      --
      Who is John Cabal?
  2. oh is that all? by v1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    All one needs to wreak some serious EMP damage, he charges, is a sea-worthy steamer, $100,000 to buy a scud-missile launcher, and a crude nuclear weapon

    I'd imagine a lot of Evil Plans have that one basic requirement.

    --
    I work for the Department of Redundancy Department.
    1. Re:oh is that all? by hedwards · · Score: 2, Funny

      Clearly you're not an evil genius. The best way for one to demonstrate ones genius is to have an overly complex and convoluted scheme to get what you could've gotten 6 scenes ago via a simple handgun.

  3. Re:Smart Grid is a scam by noidentity · · Score: 2, Funny

    But the power company has this line that it's making the grid "congested" as if the electrons are trying to go in **ZOMG!** both directions or something!

    At least for AC grids in the US, they do go both directions, 60 times every second.

  4. Re:Smart Grid is a scam by Dun+Malg · · Score: 3, Funny

    You mean the bastards are selling us the same electrons over and over again?

    --
    If a job's not worth doing, it's not worth doing right.